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Daily Maverick
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
South Africa's bad bet: How online gambling is a major source of extraction from the economy
Rocketing online gambling has become a major source of extraction from the South African economy, riding on regulatory failure, some cynical business practices and wall-to-wall self-promotion to profit off a mammoth new social ill. Online gambling is sucking South Africa dry. The industry's sheer scale and hard-to-fathom growth rate has already made it something like a structural feature of the economy with roots that seem to burrow deeper by the day. The headline number: a 550% increase in gambling in only four years with no sign of a reprieve, reaching a turnover of R1.14-trillion in the 2023/24 year, or nearly 17% of GDP. And that is only the measurable part reported by locally licensed operators. That figure excludes any platform registered abroad, making it impossible to fully grasp the size of the problem. Meanwhile the industry's carpet-bombing approach to marketing has saturated public life in a way last seen in the heyday of tobacco advertising — before it was banned and the sector imperfectly stifled with huge sin taxes. Most recently, industry leader Betway took it up a notch by flighting advertisements via a pilot free wi-fi service in selected Home Affairs offices, although the company's ads were taken down after a public outcry. Globally, the design of the gambling games, which are largely common on platforms all over the world, is widely viewed as being crafted in a way that amplifies addictive behaviour and abets problem gambling — something often reinforced with tailored special offers and prompts for gamblers getting cold feet. In South Africa, Betway has in at least one documented case paid what arguably amounted to 'hush money' to make a complaint to the authorities in this regard go away — about which more below. And unlike many purveyors of social ills like alcohol — and in fact traditional casino-bound gambling — this still-emergent industry appears almost entirely extractive, offering relatively minor local investment or employment. The extractive nature of the sector is further underscored by its major offshore component with large players and their suppliers directing profits to offshore havens and emergent super-conglomerates based in Europe and the US. The industry presents its massive marketing expenditure's bolstering of the media sector, its sponsorship of otherwise financially weak sporting codes as well as taxes paid as its major positive contributions. But the same could have been said about the tobacco sector only three decades ago. None of this counters the negative effects of the industry. The best available research also shows that it is mainly low-income South Africans who gamble away an astonishing share of their monthly pay. But behind the frenetic and colourful games, including radical new forms of 'in-play' sports betting, there is cold hard maths that is designed to ensure that in the long run the house always wins. And politics plays a potentially problematic role too, with South African-born mogul Martin Moshal, effectively the leading stakeholder in Betway, recently becoming one of the single largest funders of South African opposition parties. From 2021 onwards Moshal spent about R96-million in declared donations to ActionSA, the Democratic Alliance, the Inkatha Freedom Party and Build One South Africa. While there is no evidence Moshal, who lives abroad, has lobbied for regulatory favours, the DA has promoted a highly problematic Remote Gambling Bill, and Moshal's generosity raises at the very least the perception of potential influence. In addition, his extensive support for Israel, probably with money derived from Betway, sits uncomfortably with that country's ongoing alleged war crimes and genocide in Palestine — and appears in stark contrast with South African government policy positions. Moshal is famously reclusive, and attempts to seek out his comments via Betway were unsuccessful. However, a source linked to him told amaBhungane: 'Mr Moshal has donated to several political parties because he believes they offer South Africa the best chance of accountable governance, economic growth and security, and he has outlined his reasons for doing so on the record. It would be false and defamatory to suggest a link between any donations and gambling policy, not least because the parties to whom he has donated have different policy positions.' Meanwhile, South Africa labours under an outdated regulatory regime seemingly rife with perverse incentives that creates not only a permissive environment, but hobbles any cohesive response to the online gambling tidal wave. AmaBhungane has tried to piece together all these strands to reveal what underpins South Africa's most extravagant recent economic 'success story'. But first, a wider view. Big money Official statistics on gambling in South Africa are compiled by the National Gambling Board every year using data from the nine provincial boards, and provide the clearest indication of how online betting has seemingly become an unstoppable force. The going estimate is that total 'wagering' (of which online gambling makes up the largest component) in the financial year 2024 (up to March) was an astronomical R1.14-trillion — a 40% increase over the previous year. And in the year before that the national total wagering had already shot up by 45%. And the year before that it increased by 71.5%. At the current trajectory the total amount gambled by South Africans could have easily surpassed R1.5-trillion in the financial year that ended in March, although statistics are not yet available. For a sense of scale this is more than the turnover of the entire local mining industry as measured by industry body the Minerals Council — an industry that unlike online gambling employs hundreds of thousands of people, pays enormous amounts of royalties, is subject to strict black economic empowerment rules and contributes extensively to secondary industries. The turnover is also many times the national budget for social grants, which in the current fiscal year comes to just under R290-billion. Essentially, there was a structural break in 2021 which is when the online gambling industry started growing so fast that it had already, more than a year ago, became something akin to a defining feature of South Africa's economy — and public life — as a whole. The lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic are often cited abroad as a catalyst for the ongoing boom although — one imagines — the monstrous expenditure on advertising makes a significant contribution. The house always wins — a quick digression To be fair, these astronomical figures for 'wagering' are not the net amounts being extracted from the economy. All gambling games have an inherent so-called 'return to player' rate that goes by various names. Most commonly it is called the 'house edge' — a percentage of the value of bets that the house will always win in the long run. This rate is baked into the game by design, and while there is randomness for any single gaming session the basic rule will hold over time. In the South African betting sector amaBhungane estimates the average house edge is about 5%, meaning the most likely outcome of betting R100 is losing R5. This, however, still includes brick-and-mortar betting. Hollywoodbets told us that its online operations, in line with international standards, maintain a house edge of 3%. Mathematically speaking, if the average odds applied every time, a gambler would probably lose half their money after 23 bets. The result: in the 2024 financial year the betting industry (excluding casinos and other smaller categories) had gross gambling revenue of R36.9-billion. (This is the income remaining after payouts, from which the other costs of running the business still need to be deducted.) The business model inherently hinges on people betting what remains of that R100 as many times as possible in the shortest possible time — something of overwhelming importance for how games get designed, as we will see later on. The fact that the odds are against you makes it doubly troubling that survey data shows gamblers think of gambling as a way to earn more income — not the harmless form of 'i-gaming' entertainment the industry wishes to portray its product as. A survey conducted by market research firm InfoQuest showed that fully 53% of respondents either gambled because they need extra money or do it because a big win would 'change my family's life'. Additionally, something like 37% of respondents said that they were gambling with 'excess funds that they have'. The corollary of that is that 63% use money they can't really spare. This is underscored by, for instance, recent grumblings from restaurant franchise group Famous Brands that online gambling is eroding household disposable income to the extent that it is becoming a threat to its sector. But if this is what gamblers and other parts of the economy lose, who is collecting on the other side? Under the hood In South Africa the sector has spawned an effective duopoly, with the behemoths Betway and Hollywoodbets cornering between two-thirds and three-quarters of the market, according to our rough estimates — hoovering up something like R27-billion per year of the R40-billion in gross gambling revenue referred to above. Find the full responses to our questions from these two companies here and here. We'll explain our reckoning further down. According to survey-based data from consultancy Reveal, the National Lottery still leads in terms of the number of people gambling. But in terms of actual money spent, the two private sector giants dominate even while smaller players have also proliferated wildly. Which is not to say that all the other platforms are insignificant. MultiChoice owns 49% of Kingmakers, a Nigerian online gambling company that had revenue of R2.6-billion in its last financial year. It recently launched a South African brand called Supersportbets that has signed soccer giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates as official partners. Sunbets, the online offshoot of casino group Sun International, raked in R1.2-billion last year. Goldrush, the company indirectly owning a major share of the new Lotto operator licensee, managed a far more modest online gambling revenue of R136-million last year. Most of the locally active companies are privately owned with few financial details available publicly. Betway is however part of Super Group (not to be confused with the local logistics company with the same name), a conglomerate listed on the New York Stock Exchange. This allows for a much more granular understanding of how the sector ticks. The first remarkable thing about Betway is how it relies on South Africa for fully half of its global revenue — and that this revenue has been growing hand over fist. The second is the extent to which the company's immense gambling revenue from South Africa ends up in the hands of a tiny clique of South African expats. The group's CEO is Neal Menashe, a University of Cape Town alumnus, while its chief financial officer is Alinda van Wyk, a graduate of Stellenbosch University. Although he stepped down in February this year the group's president and chief commercial officer throughout its massive expansion into South Africa was Richard Hassan, another ex-Capetonian, while the board also features Merrick Wolman, another South African expat. But looming large is the enigmatic Martin Moshal, an expat who, as mentioned, has lately become better known in the country of his birth as a prolific funder of opposition political parties. More controversially, he is also a trustee of Keren Hayesod, a century-old Zionist group directing funding to, among other things, youth camps for aspirant members of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) as well as support for foreign recruits into the IDF — the armed forces currently accused of carrying out a genocide in Gaza. Moshal indirectly has an interest in 45% of Super Group through trusts from which he benefits, but does not control. In addition to this, probably the second largest stakeholder is the aforementioned Merrick Wolman, who is associated with the Chivers Trust, which holds about 19%. Menashe directly holds another 3% of the group's shares bringing the tiny South African contingent's effective interest to at least a collective 67%. As mentioned, these shareholdings are largely indirect via a number of offshore trusts and management companies, meaning the individuals behind them do not exercise any formal control. Super Group emphasised that 'Mr Moshal is not a shareholder of Super Group (SGHC) Ltd but is a beneficiary of a trust which ultimately holds an ownership interest in Super Group'. Follow the money While Betway is deeply rooted in South Africa its profits leave little trace locally. First off, how much money does Betway make in South Africa? According to the latest financial statements of the parent company Super Group (for 2024), Betway's revenue in South Africa came in at €544-million (just shy of R11-billion), and that has been escalating massively. In response to our questions the company asserted that it can 'categorically say that your figures are incorrect'. The reason given is that it only reports results 'per region, not per market. So, the figures that we think that you may have extrapolated are from all the markets we operate across the continent, not only South Africa.' But the company's annual report states unequivocally that 'revenue from external customers for the year attributed to… South Africa is €543.9 million (2023: €317.3 million), (2022: €181.0 million)'. 'The Group's performance can also be reviewed by considering the geographical markets and geographical locations where the Group generates revenue. The Group has not provided geographic information regarding its non-current assets as this information is not available and the cost to develop would be excessive. Revenue from external customers for the year attributed to Canada is €568.1 million (2023: €514.0 million), (2022: €541.2 million), South Africa is €543.9 million (2023: €317.3 million), (2022: €181.0 million) and the United Kingdom is €183.3 million (2023: below 10%), (2022: below 10%). India is below 10% in 2024 (2023: below 10%), (2022: €144.5 million). No other country accounted for more than 10%.' — Super Group annual report Compared to official figures for the whole sector, Betway's South African revenue seemingly represents nearly a third of the entire country's betting industry. Cost-wise there is no geographical breakdown but Betway's global operations as a whole plough an astonishing 31% of expenditure into marketing — not exactly the stuff of broad-based industrialisation. What about profits? Dividends paid by Betway's parent company in New York last year amounted to €46-million (just shy of R1-billion, of which 67% or R670-million would have gone to the trusts linked to the South African expats). This year the dividend target is €81-million or roughly R1,7-billion, largely destined for the South African clique's offshore trusts. But it does not end there. Betway leases its sportsbook platform software and 'a significant portion of the casino games available for play across all our websites and apps' from a company called Apricot Investments. Apricot provides Betway's bespoke-developed flagship sports betting system on an exclusive-use basis, as well as the Player Account Management system utilised for the majority of Super Group's operations. Apricot also provides a significant portion of the casino games offered by Betway. Moshal is named the individual beneficiary of trusts that are the ultimate controlling shareholders of Apricot. Super Group has announced that it will this year simply buy out the IP for roughly €100-million (R2-billion) after having spent millions more funding Apricot's development of software. In colloquial terms, Betway is printing money for its ultimate beneficiaries, and in particular Moshal. Hush money Betway told us via a spokesperson that it 'has a good story to tell'. But at least one backstory behind this 'good story' reveals a shocking instance where the company paid what arguably amounts to R150,000 in hush money to a gambling addict who had laid complaints against the company with the authorities. The story emerged in a court case from 2022 where Betway South Africa sought an urgent interdict against former customer Claude Gouws to stop him from making public allegations against it. The judge upheld only part of the interdict, precluding Gouws from asserting that Betway was 'committing crime' or 'participating in corruption and making payment to government officials'. However, Judge Daniel Thulare pointedly declined to grant any injunction against accusations that the company was 'causing youth and other persons to become compulsive gamblers and addicts' or that it was 'refusing to uphold responsible gambling'. He said this would be inappropriate if merely based on the papers and without referral to oral evidence when there were real disputes of fact. 'The dispute between the applicants and the respondent is a matter of national importance in my view… Did the manner in which the applicants conduct business arise the addict in the respondent, the youth and other persons? After damaging people through squeezing them to their last cent and having them hooked to dry on gambling, do the applicants dump these people ostensibly to be picked up by South Africa's welfare system or if not lucky by a mortuary van after committing suicide? A court must have answers to these questions in order to determine if there was defamation…' The judgment also questioned Betway's behaviour leading up to the interdict application. The genesis of the matter was when Gouws requested that a promotional 'cashback' offer received by him be increased. These offers for so-called VIP customers are already controversial and when specifically requested amount to a red flag for gambling addiction. Betway declined and Gouws then closed his account — another red flag indicating someone had basically run out of money to gamble. Betway then intervened and increased the cashback offer to Gouws, which prompted him to resume gambling. According to Betway, the adjusted cashback offer was made 'with the aim of offering him an improved betting experience'. Gouws, however, kept asking for new cashbacks and after a number of successful requests Betway declined one, which led to the gambler raising the possibility of him suffering from problem gambling. Betway then closed his account and referred him for so-called permanent exclusion from gambling. Then things took a darker turn. Gouws complained that Betway had not done enough to protect him and lodged a complaint with the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, the provincial licensing authority that oversees licensees like Betway. Betway's response: a 'settlement' of R150,000 to withdraw the complaint. Gouws later tried to renege on the settlement and pay back the money because, he said, there was no provision for gambling addiction treatment. In response Betway referred him to the hotline number of the National Responsible Gambling Programme and indicated that the company was under no obligation to pay for such services. The judge said he did not understand the papers to say that Betway denied that it was through their products and how they conducted his account that Gouws became a compulsive gambler and an addict: 'What I understand them to deny, is accountability for the costs of his counselling assistance and rehabilitation.' Per Judge Thulare: 'When the respondent indicated that he sought treatment for his addiction and that the settlement agreement did not provide for his treatment at the applicants' costs, they [Betway] shouted 'extortion' and ran to court.' We asked Betway whether it had ever paid similar settlements to other complainants, but the company ignored the question in its response to us and instead said: 'This is a without prejudice, confidential matter. We do not, as a matter of policy, comment publicly on individual cases.' It added that 'responsible gambling is at the core of our operations'. Peas in a pod? To reiterate, Betway is being singled out simply because it is the major South African player for which the best data is available. Locally it may very well be trailing the equally ubiquitous Hollywoodbets, which is a private group controlled by its founder, Owen Brian Heffer. Survey research by consultancy Reveal has indicated that Betway and Hollywoodbets have roughly the same number of users, but that Hollywoodbets users tend to spend more on average, leading to an estimated gross gambling revenue of R16-billion per year. To be clear, this is our estimate, not Reveal's. We arrived at it by extrapolating from Betway's declared revenue of R11-billion in South Africa, noting that the waters are muddied by Betway's claims, as mentioned earlier, that the reference to 'South Africa' in its annual report doesn't actually refer to South Africa. Put together that would mean these two companies control up to 75% of the betting market. Hollywoodbets told us that it accepts that it is 'regarded as a leading licensed fixed odds and sports betting operator'. However, it said the industry 'is very fluid and very dynamic, and statistics are constantly changing. Therefore, we are unable to provide an accurate assessment of our market share.' The view from the top However, when it comes to online gambling, few gamblers are likely to understand the multinational nature of offerings on their smartphones, and in particular how these are increasingly directing their money to a shrinking coterie of truly gargantuan industry giants. Practically all online gambling sites provide access to a common suite of popular casino-type games. Online gamblers will probably all be familiar with Aviator or Gates of Atlantis and their multitude of imitators. These are licensed from a relatively small set of huge companies that practically all online gamblers indirectly pay money to. These include Habanero Systems, which is responsible for many of the casino-type games South Africans find on all the local platforms. It is owned by Dutch magnate Marcel Boekhoorn and his Ramphastos Investments. Another dominant player is Pragmatic Play, owned by Veridian in Gibraltar. The largest player on which much public information is available is Evolution, a truly staggering operation that has been gobbling up smaller competitors through acquisitions. The Malta-based company last year reported a profit of R25.7-billion and paid out an R11-billion dividend to its parent company in Sweden. Anyone playing casino games online probably contributed to the bottom lines of these companies. Our best estimate of how much money flows to companies like these again comes from Betway. Its royalties payments to providers of games amounted to 18% of all costs. That's a big chunk of the money being leeched out of the country. Asked about funds being sent offshore, Hollywoodbets told us that its contracts with service providers were private, but that it was 'important to emphasise that a substantial proportion of our online product offering is created by ourselves and/or local service providers'. This is, however, not the case with many smaller providers who seemingly offer very little apart from locally licensed platforms for these imported games. Unlike Betway, Hollywoodbets says that it has no international shareholding and 'accordingly, no profits are distributed outside of South Africa'. Born to lose Online gambling does not simply represent traditional gambling moving onto digital platforms. Even though the mainstay of the sector remains 'sports betting' this bears little relationship to the old tradition of bookies fixing odds before games. Instead the sector has come to rely on a kind of super-charged sports betting that is, according to some researchers, practically designed to foster problem gambling. It's called live or 'in-play' betting where gamblers rapidly bet on things like which team will score the next goal or which tennis player will win the next set. It basically turns sports betting into a video game where any rational appraisal of the odds (house edge) is practically impossible and players are encouraged to make rapid repetitive bets. A wide-ranging review of research published late last year in The Lancet canvassed all the ways in which the industry has become a major public health hazard, including these in-built design features. This encouragement of rapid repetitive betting has been called 'addiction by design'. It represents an entirely new category of gambling that is only really possible at scale online with vastly more destructive power that has left many regulators across the world reeling. Already years ago in 2018 one of the world's largest online gambling groups Bet365 reported that 80% of its sports betting revenue (that is, gamblers' losses) came from in-play bets. In-play betting is in fact the only kind of game specifically mentioned in the annual report of Betway's parent company Super Group. The company lists the possibility of this specific kind of betting getting banned in various countries as one of the distinct 'risks to our business', and coyly notes that 'in recent years an increasing percentage of sports betting wagering has been derived' from this more frenetic form of sports betting. The non-sports offerings that resemble casino games and increasingly so-called 'crash games' (like the popular Aviator) likewise activate very specific forms of what researchers call 'dark nudges' that encourage fast repetitive gambling. Betway told us that the alleged additional harm caused by online gambling was unproven: 'This is neither correct nor has this been proven to be correct. What we do know is that gambling, as a leisure pursuit, has existed throughout human history. Humans have consistently found ways to gamble. The responsible way of approaching it, therefore, is through responsible regulatory/licensing regimes.' Pre-historic regulation South Africa's gambling law is painfully outdated with the 2004 National Gambling Act pre-dating the entirety of the rise of the online gambling industry as we know it, and in fact predating the introduction of the first real smartphones. There have been a few false starts to update the regulatory regime, starting with a 2008 amendment bill that never got signed into law. The impulse behind that bill was, however, expressly to 'protect society against the stimulation of the demand for gambling'. In 2012 regulations were proposed that would outright ban advertising online gambling — something that has been instituted in many countries and, for instance, partially in Kenya where it is forbidden to promote gambling using celebrities or social media influencers. Similarly, in 2016 the Department of Trade and Industry (as it was then known) produced a policy paper that advised against permitting online gambling. The point of departure with 'new forms of gambling' was to ensure that the industry 'does not grow in such a way that may exacerbate social harms associated with gambling'. Added to that the reasoning had been that online gambling produces very little employment or actual investment. Neither the bill, regulations or policy paper were ever translated into law. The lack of meaningful job creation is tacitly acknowledged by Hollywoodbets, which told us that 'we hold the view that licensees who operate solely in the online space are missing the opportunity to make a significant contribution to job creation'. This is a swipe at competitors who do not, like Hollywoodbets, maintain a large network of physical branches across the country. The company as a whole had 6,685 permanent and 1,099 part-time employees, it told us. Betway told us it maintained 2,500 jobs in South Africa. But the most recent regulatory development takes a different tack and comes from the opposition benches. The DA first produced a draft Remote Gambling Bill in 2015, which was reintroduced last year practically unchanged and published for comments. This means it is already 10 years behind current industry developments. The draft bill proposes a new category of licence called a 'remote gambling licence' with its own set of rules. In response to questions the DA's spokesperson on trade, industry and competition, Toby Chance, told us that 'it should be noted at the outset that [the bill] has not yet been introduced to the National Assembly and has only been published for public comment… Accordingly, the bill is not in its final form, and should not be taken as such.' It is just as well since the bill, on a plain reading, makes problematic proposals that will seemingly provide a massive boost for 'online-only' gambling companies like Betway, compared to those who also have physical infrastructure. This is because it proposes two different paths to getting a remote gambling licence. Companies that are currently 'online only' can simply convert their bookmaker licences. Companies with a physical presence, however, would need to apply from scratch and have their applications subject to 'economic and social development issues' as well as competition concerns. The relative free ride proposed for companies like Betway seemingly creates a massive discriminatory barrier to favour online players. The DA told us that 'we have received several comments from various stakeholders regarding these points during the public comment period, and are in the process of engaging with the same'. Hollywoodbets is not impressed by the bill. It told us that it 'did not submit comments on the Remote Gambling Bill, as respectfully, we considered the bill to be so flawed in terms of its drafting that we preferred to defer our comment until the next inevitable draft is made available'. Betway did submit 'comprehensive' comments on the bill, but added that the regulatory regime was, in its view, not at all outdated. 'The business has grown substantially within the context of the current regulatory regime over the past decade,' it said. Concerning the fact that Betway's major stakeholder is also a DA funder, the DA told us: 'Mr Moshal was not consulted in the design of the bill nor did he influence the timeline of the bill. The bill was initiated by Mr Geordin Hill-Lewis (then an MP) as far back as 2015… This does not take away from the fact that Mr Moshal is free, as any private citizen, to comment on the bill through the ordinary public participation processes, and such comments will receive equal attention to any other submission of this nature.' Fightback Current proposals to combat the spectacular rise of online gambling include advertising restrictions, as well as some variant of 'sin tax' like that faced by the tobacco sector. This follows trends across the world. The DA's bill, for instance, proposes a ban on daytime advertising on TV or radio and opens the door for any further restrictions on advertising the minister of trade, industry and competition may want to introduce through regulations. Considering the ubiquity of sponsorship for sports and billboard advertising there is scope for radical interventions. Gambling companies are unsurprisingly opposed to restrictions, and their main argument is that these would simply allow the illegal part of the sector to grow at their expense. There is, however, another possibly more fundamental issue, which is that the bill entrenches what is currently arguably a significant perverse incentive for provincial licensing authorities to actively promote online gambling. Province vs province South Africa has a fragmented gambling tax system with each of the nine provincial licensing authorities imposing its own tax on the industry. This is generally 6.5% — well shy of anything that might be considered a sin tax comparable to what the tobacco sector faces. It is fairly self-evident that for users it makes little practical difference in what province an online operator is licensed. Gamblers will be able to access its platform from anywhere. The reason it does matter is that the province where the operator is licensed is the one that rakes in the taxes — and the one tasked with regulating the licensee. Neither is trivial. There is an undeniable incentive to be the province that licenses and collects taxes, while the harms caused in other provinces are their problem. The National Gambling Board told us that it 'has consistently advocated for a harmonised national regulatory approach to prevent regulatory arbitrage or 'forum shopping' by operators'. The Western Cape and also to a lesser extent Mpumalanga are known as the premier issuers of licences for online operators. In fact the recent surge in gambling activity has largely been limited to licensees in these provinces. These two provinces do not have meaningfully different regulations but have rather proven to be far more proactive when it comes to clearing the regulatory path for online gambling companies. The sunny side The online gambling industry is quick to defend itself against the main criticisms it faces — a lack of economic benefit and the encouragement of destructive problem gambling. Hollywoodbets and Betway told us that their (and by extension the sector's) expenditure on sponsorships is no small thing, with Hollywoodbets calling the inference that it makes little economic contribution 'unfortunate'. 'It needs to be said that our business contributes massively to the provincial and national fisci. 'Ignoring icon brands like the Hollywoodbets Sharks and the Hollywoodbets Dolphins, we are particularly proud of our support for development teams in myriad sports, and particularly our support of women's sport… In addition, we play a leading role in our sector in the promotion of SMMEs through our Bambelela Business Awards programme.' Hollywoodbets also pointed to its significant funding of horse racing, which would otherwise potentially have been a failed sector. The massive marketing spend was also a lifeline for broadcasters and other parts of the media industry, it said. Betway likewise holds up its sponsorship of the Springboks, the SA20 cricket tournament and the Premier Soccer League among its major contributions, while also pointing towards the activities of its philanthropic Betway Cares Foundation, while Hollywoodbets likewise highlights its Hollywood Foundation. Given the enormous scale of what is essentially unproductive spending that creates few jobs and big problems, the real question is whether the companies' social spending is not simply a cosmetic plaster on a gaping wound. DM
Jordan News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
Jordan Condemns Terrorist Attack in Damascus - Jordan News
Jordan Condemns Terrorist Attack in Damascus The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on Sunday strongly condemned the terrorist attack that targeted the Mar Elias Church in the Syrian capital, Damascus, resulting in dozens of casualties and injuries. اضافة اعلان The Ministry's official spokesperson, Ambassador Dr. Sufian Qudah, affirmed the Kingdom's full solidarity with the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic in the face of this tragic attack and reiterated Jordan's firm rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism aimed at undermining security and stability. Ambassador Qudah reaffirmed Jordan's support for the Syrian government's efforts in combating terrorism, preserving Syria's security, unity, and stability, and safeguarding its land and people. He also expressed the Kingdom's deepest condolences and sympathies to the government and people of the Syrian Arab Republic and to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. — (Petra)
Nylon
18-06-2025
- Nylon
Make your next vacation destination Chengdu for its panda, food, culture and gorgeous scenery
Having only been to China on an exchange trip years ago when I was on an exchange trip in secondary school, I have never thought of returning to China as it wasn't a top priority destination for me. So, when I was given the opportunity to visit Chengdu, I was a little hesitant. The climbing panda at IFC Mall in Chengdu. This, of course, was largely fuelled by the fear that every food in Chengdu was of mala-standard, and my half-past-six command of Mandarin. Despite the fears, I decided to take the plunge with the help of destination guide to make the best of my trip to Chengdu. Here's a look at some must-visit locations when you're in the city. If there is one thing that could get me overly excited about visiting Chengdu, it is seeing those adorable panda bears. As a world-class facility dedicated to the conversation, research, and breeding of giant pandas and other endangered wildlife, the base features a breathtaking landscape with lush vegetation and a simulated ecological environment that reflects the wild habitat of giant pandas, in addition to offering visitors interactive and educational exhibits to enhance public awareness of conservation efforts. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is the must-visit destination where you'll get a rare opportunity to see giant pandas both indoors and outdoors. I was lucky enough to see the pandas in their outdoor enclosures which was great as the space was huge and I didn't feel like I had to jostle with other folks just to get a video or photo. With that said, I would recommend to visit the base early in the morning when the weather is cool as that's when you'll see the pandas lazing about or having their breakfast. The crowd is also much more manageable than in the afternoon. And yes, for us merch-buying folks — there are many souvenir shops within the base where you can shop for those must-buy panda merch. Held from 28 May to 3 June, the 9th International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is an event that gathers nearly 600 national and international cultural heritage projects from performing arts to traditional crafts and folk customs. Since I was in Chengdu on the opening day, I had a chance to attend the opening ceremony at the Chengdu International Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo Park. Co-hosted by the Sichuan Provincial People's Government, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, UNESCO, and the National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO, the festival was like a large gathering of cultures where we were not just treated to traditional performances and folk customs of Chengdu, but also to other customs and dances from countries like Italy, Mexico, France, Algeria, and Thailand. While the opening ceremony may not be an experience open to the public, you are still able to enjoy the festivities that surround the festival dates at the park. One of the most-talked about food when you're in Chengdu is hotpot and no one does it quite as grand as Margo Manor Hotpot — a large garden-like open air restaurant that makes you feel like you're dining in one of those period dramas. Aside from the never-ending list of ingredients that you can enjoy with your hotpot, which include strange ones you might have never heard of like duck blood, black tofu and different variations of beef tripe, the restaurant also aced in the entertainment factor with performances on the lake. While we were dining, we saw performers coming out to greet us as they sang on little boats that circled the lake we were seated next to. At one point, we even witnessed a scene from one of those 'wu xia' shows, where a woman was floating through the air and walking on water! Safe to say it was a truly interesting dining experience that you would have to try for yourself in Chengdu. A first of its kind in China — the Sichuan Cuisine Museum is an interactive museum where you don't just get to see and smell different types of Sichuan cooking but also taste the food. Our first stop at the museum was to try out the various Sichuan cooking at a food hall of sorts where we could get tasting portions of different food such as dumplings, dan dan noodles, kung pao chicken, glutinous rice balls, and spicy noodles. After we were fed, we headed off to see how different sauces were made and even witnessed a chef who blindfolded herself to show us how she cuts noodles in an extremely thin manner. Our visit at the museum ended with a hands-on experience where we got to make our very own red bean panda bao by following an instructional video that played on the big screen. While I had hoped to taste my creation, we didn't get a chance to see our creation go to steam but here's hoping that someone else enjoyed my tasty creation. While I'm still not a fan of Sichuan cuisine per se, I do have to say that it was a good place to experience all the different types of Sichuan food and forms of cooking, under one roof. If you're in Chengdu, don't miss the chance to head out to Jiuzhaigou Valley, which is located on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and easily accessible by high speed railway in just 2 hours, the valley is a sight not to be missed, especially with its crystal-clear lakes and breathtaking mountains. The first thing we noticed about arriving in Jiuzhaigou is the drastic change in temperature which was below 18 degrees. This temperature will stay and get colder in the night so it is best to prepare warm clothes if you are looking to visit the valley. Unlike the big cities, Jiuzhaigou is like a resort town of sorts, with its main attraction being the Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park. But, visiting that alone could take up more than your whole day, especially with all the hikes that you would need to do. Although I am no nature gal myself, Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park is a gorgeous sight to behold especially with its natural lakes and mountains that just looks as if it came straight from a painting or a scene in those Chinese period dramas. Even though most of the spots in the park get crowded from time to time, the huge space around makes it easy to navigate and you can still get beautiful photos or videos from almost any angle. And, just like any other tourist attractions, the park also has Tibetan costumes for rent so that you can take photos like the local — something that our tour guide didn't recommend as rental prices may not be cheap. An important thing to note when you're visiting the park is to listen to your body, especially given that the conditions are different from when you are on ground. As you venture deeper into the park, you are bound to hit higher altitudes so it is common to feel more out of breath when you climb up or down the staircase, or even while walking long distances. All in all, the visit to Jiuzhaigou was a magical one which made me appreciate our natural world and the beauty it contains, and this is a place that I would love to go back to when given the chance.
Medscape
18-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
US Needs National Diagnostic Testing Plan for Public Health Threats
Allowing nontraditional laboratories to perform diagnostic testing in a potential pandemic situation was one of the nearly 100 actions proposed by a panel of experts, according to results of a new report published by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The new report ultimately yielded four recommendations from the GAO to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with two action items. One of these called for the creation of a national diagnostic testing strategy for infectious diseases with pandemic potential. Another called for the creation of a national diagnostic testing forum that would include a range of expert testing stakeholders from HHS and component agencies, but also the public and private sectors, nonprofit organizations, and academia. The other two main recommendations were that the national diagnostic testing strategy, once created, be updated regularly with lessons learned from infectious disease threats, other public health threats, or relevant preparedness exercises; and that the national diagnostic testing forum, once created, meet regularly, including both before and during infectious disease threats with pandemic potential, before and during other public health threats deemed relevant, or any related preparedness exercises. 'Pandemics pose an ever-present threat to American lives, national security, and economic interests, and diagnostic testing is critical to tracking infectious disease and helping reduce potential death rates,' said Mary Denigan-Macauley, director of Public Health for the GAO, in an interview. 'Testing helps us know where the disease is, how it is spreading and if it is gone,' Denigan-Macauley said. During the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent mpox outbreaks, the US Department of HHS struggled to lead the nation's testing efforts, and taking action to improve testing protocols now can boost preparedness for the next infectious disease emergency, Denigan-Macauley said. Diseases know no borders, she added. 'A strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza is widespread in wild birds around the globe and is already on our doorstep, causing outbreaks in poultry and US dairy cows, with several recent human cases in US dairy and poultry workers,' Denigan-Macauley said. 'Tracking these and other diseases is critical so we can be prepared and implement measures to control their spread,' she emphasized. Cooperative Planning Will Promote Current Information Infectious disease testing is not for the federal government to do alone; everyone from the doctor who tests the patient to local, state, and federal health officials should understand the national diagnostic testing strategy so they can work together, said Denigan-Macauley. 'We don't want key stakeholders working in silos that are fragmented and disjointed; this prevents us from understanding what is happening nationally to control a disease,' she said. 'A national diagnostic testing strategy and coordinating group could help the nation avoid some of the challenges faced during previous public health emergencies,' Denigan-Macauley told Medscape Medical News . 'For example, we found that the federal government did not always coordinate its updates to COVID-19 testing guidance with external stakeholders, such as healthcare professional organizations, which led to confusion and disagreement in the practice community,' she said. However, a national testing strategy could establish specific processes for coordination and collaboration related to testing guidance updates, she noted. 'A national coordinating group could then facilitate real-time communication of the updates, which would help ensure that frontline providers are prepared to implement new guidance upon its release,' she added. The current fragmented state of diagnostic testing efforts across numerous government agencies is a barrier to a national strategy, Denigan-Macauley told Medscape Medical News . 'Fragmentation refers to circumstances in which more than one agency is involved in the same broad area,' she said. 'Our states — simply by the way we are set up as a nation — also have differing capabilities, goals and their own health systems causing further fragmentation,' she explained. Establishing a testing coordinating group and implementing practices for interagency collaboration can help manage fragmentation and overcome this barrier, she said. Research Gaps The experts consulted on the report suggested several areas in need of additional research, including determining the types of diagnostic testing required for different types of pathogens, developing diagnostic tests with longer shelf lives, evaluating the new generations of diagnostic testing equipment, and understanding the human behaviors that drive compliance with diagnostic testing guidance, said Denigan-Macauley. A Specialist's Take Having a national diagnostic testing strategy would allow the US to cope more efficiently with the next pandemic, said Romney M. Humphries, PhD, D(ABMM), M(ASCP), professor of pathology, microbiology, and immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, in an interview. The COVID-19 pandemic was challenging in many ways, including the inability of many public health labs to handle the surge in testing needs, said Humphries. 'A national diagnostic testing strategy would promote building an infrastructure and developing partnerships among labs,' said Humphries. In addition, developing a universal approach to testing and standardized testing protocols, as are common in European countries, would streamline the process and facilitate such partnerships, she said. However, funding is a significant barrier to implementing any national diagnostic testing strategy, Humphries noted. Funding for various public health initiatives is being reduced or eliminated, but a national diagnostic testing strategy should be prioritized given the benefit to public health in general and the value in the event of a pandemic or other public health crisis, she said. Looking ahead, improvements in management and operations at the federal, state, and local level are needed to make a national diagnostic testing strategy successful, Humphries told Medscape Medical News . Although no action has yet been taken to create a national diagnostic testing strategy, 'HHS officials said they are taking some steps to improve diagnostic testing related to the actions suggested by experts,' according to the GAO website outlining the report.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Zodiac Signs Who Will Experience Good Fortune in June 2025
According to Astrology, each month bring something, when it arrives. For some, it brings happiness, and for some it brings struggle. But here, we are talking about those zodiac signs who are likely to experience extreme luck in the month of June. June is coming with a lots of good things and bringing abundance for the people. June 2025 is set to be a pivotal month for few zodiac signs, as celestial alignments create chances for growth, prosperity, and personal advancement. The movement of Mars into Leo, Venus's arrival in Aries, and the Mercury in Gemini are crucial astrological occurrences that will impact these favorable changes. Here are the zodiac signs who will encounter considerable good fortune in the month of June: Taurus Taureans are receiving the universe's blessings this June, as Venus has already moved into the Aries zodiac sign on May 31, redirecting their attention towards comfort, self-worth, and enjoyment. This month emphasizes reorganizing routines for optimal pleasure and creative expression. With Mercury entering Gemini on June 6, Taureans will enhance their emotional intelligence and intuition, enabling them to navigate complex emotional situations with greater ease. Look forward to more chances for personal development, self-care, and meaningful connections. Cancer Cancerians are in for a delightful experience this June, as Jupiter transitioned into Gemini on May 14, signaling the start of a year-long enhancement of their visibility. This movement brings about growth, success, abundant fortune, and fresh opportunities. With Venus shifting into Aries through 10th house from the Cancer ascendant so these natives will find themselves with greater chances to realize their aspirations, cultivate social connections, and strengthen bonds with friends. Anticipate an increase in confidence, self-esteem, and emotional awareness. They will have a great chance to become a media person and they can choose career as influencer. Their might find the love of life at workplace. Leo Individuals born under the sign of Leo are poised to witness an increase in financial prospects as Venus transitions into their ninth house, which governs good fortune, wealth, finances and everything. During this time period, you will receive blessings from the divine feminine energy. This astrological shift is expected to introduce new sources of income and elevate their sense of self-worth. At the same time, Mar's entry in Leo on June 7 will strengthen family connections and emotional health. This timeframe is perfect for undertaking important decisions and investments related to the home. Sagittarius Sagittarians are set for an exhilarating journey this June, with Mars entering Leo on June 7, heralding the start of a significant and transformative phase in their lives. This transit offers opportunities for emotional development, spiritual discovery, and professional collaborations. With the Full Moon that fall on June 10, prepare for profound discussions regarding relationships, intimacy, and shared resources. Sagittarians will achieve clarity on who genuinely cares for their well-being and will feel empowered to make deliberate choices. These three sun signs can look forward to a notable enhancement in their fortunes this June, with chances for growth, expansion, and positive change. Keep in mind to remain receptive to new experiences, nurture your relationships, and have faith in the universe's design. Discover everything about astrology at the Times of India , including daily horoscopes for Aries , Taurus , Gemini , Cancer , Leo , Virgo , Libra , Scorpio , Sagittarius , Capricorn , Aquarius , and Pisces .
